Indiana's chief justice stepping down

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent E. Dickson announced today that he will step down from his leadership role at the court by Sept. 1.

Dickson, who has served as chief justice since May 2012, will continue his role as an associate justice on the five-member Supreme Court.

"Knowing that my tenure as chief justice was limited, each associate justice has actively participated in much of the administrative responsibilities and decisions of the office of chief justice," Dickson said in a statement.

"The time is right for this transition. The court and state will be well served when one of my colleagues is selected as the next chief justice."

Dickson became chief justice in May 2012 after serving as acting chief justice following the retirement of Randall T. Shepard.

"It has been a great joy and a privilege to have helped continue the court's tradition of excellence — especially with four hard-working colleagues who are devoted to the law," Dickson said in the statement. "I am looking forward to being able to spend most of my time in legal research, deciding cases, and writing opinions."

The seven-member Judicial Nominating Commission will select a new chief justice for a five-year term. The commission is chaired by Dickson and includes three attorneys elected by their peers and three citizens, two appointed by Gov. Pence and one appointed by former Gov. Daniels.

The statement from the court said the commission "plans to invite the other members of the current court — Justices Robert Rucker, Steven David, Mark Massa and Loretta Rush — to meet with them on Aug. 6 about the role of chief justice."

That session will be open to the public and press.

After meeting with the other justices, the statement said, the commission will go into executive session to deliberate. The commission will then reconvene in public to announce its selection of the next chief justice.

Among the major initiatives during his tenure as chief justice, the statement cited Dickson's work to upgrade court technology, expand the use of volunteer attorneys to provide civil legal aid to the needy, and reforming pre-trial release system to improve public safety, reduce taxpayer expense, and provide greater fairness.